The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1887-12-21
THE NATIONAL CAPITAL.
Proof of Mr.. Reeds Influence Fur.
nisbed by Biunder.
Senator Hale's Efforts In Behalf
Of the Marine.
Tho Nomination of Secretary Fair
child Confirmed In the Senate.
Especial to the Press. ]


esting to trace the course of rumor here
One Of particular interest to Maine people
got abroad yesterday. 1t was printed in The
Critic, bright evening paper here, and
was to the effect that Speaker Carlisle had
delegated to Congressman Reed the power of
naming the Republican members on the COM
mittees. This was very hattering to
Mr.. Reed and recognized anew his position
as leader of the minority side Of the House.
But 1t made everybody who knows anything
about the making up of the committees
smile, and broadly. 1t made Mr.. Reed smile
very broadly when the newspaper men be-
gan to drop into his quarters to see If there
was any truth in the story. In the first
place, of course, Mr.. Carlisle desires to
make up his own committees, and If he
turned over to any Republican the task of
handling his colleagues. the patchwork
which would result would be incongruous
enough. 1t might very easily happen that
some committee would have half of
whole State delegation among its members.
But there is wicked yarn afioat that some
of the new Republican members were so gull
lible or ambitious as to come to Mr.. Reed for
places on good committees before satisfying
themselves that such a report was true.
Senator Hale has blocked out a good deal
OF new legislation altogether. His resolu-
tion calling for committee of seven Sena-
tors to examine the civil service and see
what the Democrats have been and have not
been doing in relation to it, will not come
up until after the holidays. In the
meantime he will get as much material to-
gether in its support as he can. He says
there is no difficulty whatever in securing
good material and what the prominent
instances Of evasion or total disregard of the
law he can find are, any one who knows any,
thing about politics can easily remember
Mr.. Hale brought in three rather interest
ing bills the first. few days of the session.
The first one provides bounties to American
built vessels. 1t provides that there shall be
paid from the Treasury of the United States
the following bounties, per gross ton, upon
all iron and steel steam vessels, built in the
United States and first presented for enroll
ment or registry after the first day of July,
1888, to wit: On all such vessels of more
than 1000 gross tons and not more than 1000
gross tons,i at the rate Of SIS a ton; on all
such vessels of more than 5000 gross tons,
at the rate of $25 per ton; on all such yes
sells under 1000 tons, at the rate of $40 per
ton: provided that all such vessels shall be
constructed according to plans approved by
the Navy Department, which plans shall
embrace the hulls, boilers, engines, and all
machinery. Said vessels shall be at all
times, for % years after their completion,
subject TO be taken and used by the United
States government for military purposes, at
just and reasonable rate Of compensation
A second bill provides that from and after
the passage of this act no contract nor order
for the construction Of any government
building or work of any kind shall be given
by any officer of the United States to any
person who employs convict labor in any
part of such work. The bill was before the
last Congress, but did not reach a discus
sion.
Another bill is termed a measure "to in
crease the efficiency of the medical corps OF
the navy" and fixes pay for passed assist
ant and assistant surgeons as follows:
Assistant surgeons, when at sea, $500;
on shore duty, $1,000; on leave or waiting
orders, $500. Passed assistant surgeons,
during the first five years after date OF ap-
pointment, when at sea, $500; on shore
duty, 5000; on leave or waiting orders,
$1,000 After five years from such date,
when at sea. $2400; on shore duty, S2l00;
on leave or waiting orders, $500. After ten
years from such date, when at sea, $1,000,
on shore duty, 5000; on leave or waiting
have the rank of lieutenant Junior grade,
and after five years service in the navy
they shall be examined for promotion.
Passed assistant surgeons shall have the
rank of lieutenant. Surgeons shall have the
rank of lieutenant commander.
up Two Flights and Straight Ahead"
That is the directions one follows in reach
ing the headquarters of Secretary Luther
Maddocks, in the National Fishery Associ-
alton rooms at the National Hotel. Mr..
Maddocks is working away like beaver.
getting out all sorts of fishery literature to
educate the American mind, or that part OF
it which seems to be particularly ignorant OF
the real issue is the fishery question. he
has good many callers from Maine and is
satisfied that he will accomplish something
by steady digging away at his point But he
finds it slow work at first. The active out
side work will not begin until after the hol-
idayS when the committees begin to meet
and the officials of the association go to
j. Babson, of Gloucester, the president
of the National Fishery Association, Will be
the man who will do that.
The Maine dates for civil service exam
and September 9th; Bangor. September
Nominations Confirmed.
WASHINGTON, Dec. 20.-The Senate has
removed the injunction of secrecy from the
following nominations which were confirmed
in secret session on the 10Th inst:
Charles S. Fairchild, Of New York, to be Secre
George L. RIves, of New York, to be Assistant
Secretary OF State.
Isaac III. Maynard, of New York, to be ASSIST
ant Secretary OF the Treasury.
Baylis W. Hanna, of Indiana, to be Minister to
the Argentine Republic.
Alexander S. Lawton, of Georgia, to be Minis
ter TO Austro- Hungary
Hannv MAINE pensionars